


Dad

by teddylupin_snape



Series: my heartbeat sounds like you [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 23:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17233340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teddylupin_snape/pseuds/teddylupin_snape
Summary: Harry's stressed, but what better way to fix that than to make all his major life changes in one go.





	Dad

              Harry’s hands were shaking. Work had kept him up for the past two days straight, he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d gotten a good night’s sleep. “Can you please just _shut up_?” he boomed, but it was a hollowed, deadened sound. Harry pushed up off the couch, but then looked at his son.

              Little Jamie was barely two years old. He’d been playing in the corner—albeit rather loudly—but at Harry’s outburst, the boy looked up at his father, eyes frozen in fear. He’d never heard his dad that _loud_ before. His mum rushed over, wrapping a hand around the child and turning on Harry.

              “He didn’t mean it, dear. Daddy’s just very tired, _isn’t he_?” Ginny’s voice was cold and clipped when she looked at her husband. She cooed to her baby, hugging him.

              Harry looked at the pair of them, feeling shame flooding his being. He thought he’d left behind this explosive, angry person when he became a father. The war was well and truly over, new deaths were rare, infrequent. He had a family, finally. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin it, but here he was shouting at his toddler. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, turning tail and holing himself up in his bedroom.

              Ginny didn’t follow for a few minutes, but Harry had had a feeling she would. “You’re bloody lucky I know you better than that. What happened?” Her hands were on her hips—she was the spitting image of her mother. Harry shrunk back but met her eyes.

              “I can’t believe I—I should’ve just gone upstairs from the start. I just need sleep and a damn break from this case.” He shoved the file and papers off his bedside table—they floated down upon the floor, horribly out of order and showing the faces of the few remaining Death Eaters. “I just want to quit the Aurors.”

              “Good, but we’ll talk about it when you’re sane.” Ginny moved to sit on their bed, patting the seat beside her and giving Harry a look. He complied. “You’re sure it’s just work that has you like this?”

              “Like what?”

              She sighed. “I haven’t seen you smile in days, Harry. And I’d told myself back when you started this job that if it was what you really wanted, if it made you happy, then I’d be as supportive as possible. But, Merlin, Harry, it’s draining you. You had to fight bloody Death Eaters all through school and you claim you still want to? It’s bullshit.”

              “I—”

              “ _No_. It is. And now you’re taking it out on James.”

              Harry had nothing to say to this. He couldn’t meet Ginny’s eyes. “I’m a terrible father, I knew—”

              “You’re not.” Ginny put an arm around Harry’s shoulder, pulling him to her and leaning her head on his shoulder. “No one ever claimed being a parent was easy. I can’t imagine how my parents pulled it off, God, could you imagine seven?

              “But the good times really make the bad worth it, don’t they? He really can be an angel sometimes.” Her eyes were distant and fond, her smile soft and genuine. “I believe in you, Harry. You’re an amazing dad; you haven’t peaked yet. Which is a—” she sighed. “A really good thing because we’re having another.”

              Harry’s eyes snapped back up to hers. “We’re what?”

              “Timing could be better, I suppose, but yeah. Pregnant. And it’s that gorgeous smile you’ve got there now that proves my point.” She kissed him, holding his face close to hers even when they’d broken apart. “You’re wonderful. Now.” Another kiss. “How do we break this to Jamie?”


End file.
